Out From Under
by Starykid
Summary: Full Summary inside. R&R to find out more. Hope u like it.


**That Horrible Day:**

**That Morning:**

"**DEREK!"** Casey yelled as Derek burst into her room, wearing one of her skirts. She ran after him & finally tackled him on the ground. Lizzie pulled the skirt off of him & threw it in her dirty laundry basket.

"**I was going to wear that today. You are so immature!"** she stormed off to change her outfit for the second time that morning. Derek would pay later. But right now, she had to concentrate on Max. Max was going to drive her home from school in his new car that he had just gotten a couple days ago. He'd had his driver license for only two weeks, but their parents trusted them completely.

Casey came down stairs for breakfast & had a piece of toast. Lizzie & Marty complimented her on her outfit. Edwin asked her to say hi to Max for him. Derek rolled his eyes & finished his breakfast, and then he & Casey headed out the door & to school.

**That Afternoon at School:**

Casey & Max ate lunch together & Derek couldn't help feel a little jealous. He didn't have Kendra to eat with anymore. In fact, Kendra was more into eating with Emily, Max, Casey & their friends then with him. He was pissed that Casey had taken _his_ friends from him. Casey would pay later, when she got home from school, after Max dropped her off.

That day, school went by fast for some reason. Maybe because everyone was having so much fun & couldn't wait for the football game the next day. Whatever it was, school was over before anyone could say 'pull my finger.' Casey got into Max's car & they left after the bus left. If Derek had known that this would be the last day to torture his step-sister, he would have made her day miserable.

**The Accident:**

Max was heading along the highway towards the McDonald-Venturri home. He & Casey were laughing about a joke he'd just told. The semi-truck lost control & slammed into the drivers' side of the car. Casey screamed in terror as the car spun into oncoming traffic. Everything was going in slow motion. A truck was coming straight for the passenger's side of the door. She looked over at Max but couldn't tell if he was breathing. She made one final move. She dialed 911 on her phone before the truck slammed into her side of the car, brakes squealing in the background. Traffic all around had slammed to a complete stop, looking on in horror as to what had just happened.

**The McDonald-Venturri Household:**

"**Dude, where is Casey. Max was supposed to drop her off two hours ago."** Lizzie complained.

"**Maybe she's goofing off."** Edwin ventured.

"**Casey goof off. Hah-Hah. That's really funny Edwin. Casey would never goof off. She's too much of a goody too shoe to goof off, even with Max."** Derek finished.

"**Then where is she?" **Marty asked.

"**How should I know? Call her & you may find out."**

But they never got a chance to call because at that moment the doorbell rang & George answered it. It was the police.

"**Can I help you officers?"**

"**Can we come in? We need to tell you something."**

"**Yeah sure, come right in."** George was looking at Derek as if saying _what did you do this time?_ Derek looked back as if saying _nothing that would ever involve the police._

"**What can I help you with officers? If it has anything to do with my son Derek…"**

"**This has nothing to do with your son. Do you know a Casey McDonald?"**

"**Yes, she's my step-daughter. Why, what did she do?"**

"**She called us from this phone."** They laid the phone on the coffee table. It was in an evidence bag & there was blood on the phone.

"**Hey, that's Casey's phone."** Lizzie said.

"**Did something happen to my daughter?"** Nora said coming into the living room.

"**You might want to sit down. I'm afraid we have some bad news."**

The look on their faces said it all. Casey was not coming home today.

"**What is it?"** Derek asked.

"**Have you watched the news yet?"**

"**No, we just finished eating dinner, why?"**

"**Your daughter was involved in a car accident this afternoon. She's been taken to St. Katherine's hospital. I'm so sorry to have to tell you this."**

"**What about the boy she was with? Is Max okay?"** Derek asked.

"**Max is his name? Thank you for clearing that mystery up for us. We've been trying to get ahold of his parents to tell them the news."**

"**His parents are in Las Vegas on vacation. Max is home alone, watching his little brother."**

"**Then it's our duty to tell you that the boy did not survive the crash. He was DOA. I'm sorry. Your daughter has been taken to St. Katherine's. We hope she makes it through."** The officers left & the McDonald-Venturri family left, stopping at Emily's first & picking her up, explaining what happened.


End file.
